Navy Partnerships Matter: RIMPAC in Action

By George Backwell

Friday, July 11, 2014

Sailors haul mooring line aboard USS Rushmore: Photo USN

The future is maritime partnerships maintains the US Navy in a recent news release. The world’s navies must be able to come together quickly to work on common interests and things that are important worldwide. The Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2014 (RIMPAC 14) is put forward as an example of that endeavor.

Twenty-two nations, more than 40 ships and submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 26 to Aug. 1, in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2014 is the 24th exercise in the series that began in 1971.